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ArchivesQuestion about Italian names
I was looking through the database, and this caught my attention.
How come there is Giambattista, Giampaolo and Giampiero but not Giamluca, Giamfranco, etc.? I understand that those names are combinations of Gianni and something else, but is there a special pronunciation rule for the mb/mp combination that makes it possible for the "n" to turn into "m" in some cases and not in other?
Or am I searching for a calf under the bull?
How come there is Giambattista, Giampaolo and Giampiero but not Giamluca, Giamfranco, etc.? I understand that those names are combinations of Gianni and something else, but is there a special pronunciation rule for the mb/mp combination that makes it possible for the "n" to turn into "m" in some cases and not in other?
Or am I searching for a calf under the bull?
This message was edited 11/24/2004, 1:41 PM
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Replies
In spanish (latin language, like italian), we have the rule that says: "n" changes to "m" before "b" and "p". Giambattista, Giampiero and Giampaolo follow this rule; however, these names should be "gianbatista, gianpaolo, etc." (because of Gian), but they turn into Giam... because of that rule. Hope it helps.
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You're right, but it isn't a rule really; more of a convenience. /b/ and /p/ are what you get if you open your lips during a /m/ sound, but the /n/ sound has open lips already. So you need considerable mouth gymnastics to do a /n/-/b/ sequence, and not much at all for /m/-/b/. And people are lazy ... !
The same happens in Afrikaans (close to Dutch so it probably works there too). For instance, one of our university towns is Stellenbosch, and you can do it all right as it's written if you're being well behaved and elegant, but when the students are screaming support for their team it comes out /stellembos/.
The same happens in Afrikaans (close to Dutch so it probably works there too). For instance, one of our university towns is Stellenbosch, and you can do it all right as it's written if you're being well behaved and elegant, but when the students are screaming support for their team it comes out /stellembos/.
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Not knowing much Italian, I would still say: Yes, there is a rule. Before B and P (at least) N becomes M. The Romans did the same changing conbinare to combinare and conpilare to compilare (and also conmemorare to commemorare and conedere to comedere). It just softens the pronunciation. And I think it's pretty much the same in Italian.
Andy ;—)
Andy ;—)
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